Toy theater.



W. S. MARTIN.

TOY THEATER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 16. 1917. ,S, Patented (m1519155.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l W. S. MARTIN.

TOY THEATER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I6, 19|?. 1,281,623, Patented 00t.15,1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. IQ/5@ 3f@ I wmf- 4* i MLM/QM jHVEH-DF A ar/vg c WILLIAM s. MARTIN, OE WILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT, AssIeNoR To TIIE MARTIN STUDIOS, INCORPORATED, OE ITERTEORD, CONNECTICUT, .eg-,CORPORATION OE CONNECTICUT;

TOY THEATER.

speeiaeetien ef Letters Patent. i patented 091,9 15, i913,

Application filed October 16, 1917. Serial 1 \To. 196,784.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM S. MARTIN, a citizenl of the United States, residing at Willimantic, in the county of Windham and State of Connecticut, have invented certain -new and useful Improvementsin -Toy Theaters,..off'which thegfollowing is a specification.y Y

This invention relates to toy theaters. I have several motives in view. One of them is thel provision Ofa structure whichcan be readilyknocked down and as easily setup `and thescenery ,ofwhich canl be mounted and dismountedwith the same facility, in view of which latter, circumstancescenes of ldifferent characters as may be required 1 n various playlets arepositioned for exhibition. Another object I have in view' is the provision of effective lighting means, where- -by for example the stage from below and 4above andfrom back if necessarynor called Aupon in any speciliccase maybe illuminated.

In the drawings accompanyingjand forming part of the `present speciiicationI have ,shownrin detailone convenient form of em- "bodint'ientl of the invention which to enable thosef skilled in the art to practice the'g'same willjbeset forth fully in the following description, I do. notlnecessarily limit myself V,to this particular disclosure; I ,may de- .part therefrom. in. several respects within the scope of .theI invention dened, by the claims following said Y description. ,Referringto said drawings :j a Figure 1 isa frontelevation of a toy theater involving the invention.v

Fig. 2 is atop plan view of the same..

Fig'.v 3 is a cross section on the line v3 3 of Fig.- 1, looking'in 4the direction of the arrow, the .dotted lines showing how certain 'sections are movable.

Fig. 4 is arear view of an illuminating device partly broken away.

`Like characters refer to like parts throughout the several views.

The plays to be produced are of such character primarilyand generally to appeal to` juveniles, although this may not always be necessary. Y YThese plays involve one orinore 'figures and like adJuncts which are moved in desired fashion uponQthe stage. These accessories in themselves, however, form no part of the invention and therefore need not be'fherein shown. lThe, organization comprisesin its make-'up a front as'l 2, this front as certain other parts being made ofsuitable material such as wood.` As represented it comprises the base' section 3, the V-intermediate section 4 andthe top section 5. As shown the intermediate section 4 is connected as, by hinges 6 with the base section 3,

vso that when Vdesired the intermediate section can be folded down upon the stage front is ornamented' generallywithspaper or some other suitable material and the paper entirely covers vthe yseveral sections of the front. Obviously it does not extend across the joint betweenthetop' section 5 and the intermediate Ysection 4. As shown this'intermediate section 4 has anenlarged open- `ing 8 whichl as shown is `rectangular and through which the stage hereinafter described 'canbe seenwhen thecurtain or curtainsare elevated. V'Ats'shown there are two curtains, a` front one 9 and rear oneV 10, Ythey being supported upon springyrollers both denoted by'llon the rear. upper side ofthe interniediatesecti0nv4.

rIhe backis denoted .in Va general way by 12 and it comprises a'base'section 13 andan upper section 14, the two beingy unitedas by one or more hinges 15, in view of which conditionl theupper section 14 when desired can be swungdown onto the stage 16 yas shownby dotted lines in said Fig. 3. VIn this view as will be understood, the front 'intermediate sectionV 4 and the upper section 14 are shown asin the act of being either Vswung down or lup by 'dottedlines The stage 16 is usuallyv rigidly secured between ',the two base sections 3 and 13 in any ,desirable manner, and it will be clear that the sections 4 and 14 are respectively connected to the base sections above the upper surface of the stage, so that they can properly fold down thereon when it is desired to store the appliance.

In addition to the,l several members comprising the frame, there are two'topv side members as 17 which are connected suitably ing 8.

to the sections -4 and 14 forinstanceby dowel pin construction. As shown the upper sec- 'tion 14 of the rear isV provided on its-upper t edge near opposite sides 4thereof,with dowel pins as 18 adapted to removably enter seats in the adjacent ends of the upper side mem: bers 17, which ends rest as will be understood, on said-section 14. -Said ,members 17 lfrom* placewhen the sections14 and4 can be folded downY in A superimposed relation upon thejstage 16.

Y The scenesof rwhich vrthere maybe one or more generally consist Vofdropsas 2,0 of some suitable materialtas kpaper "or light cloth fabric which are Aconnected .to and flexibly depend fromthebars, 21 usually kof wood and which are laid ,upon the; upper side ymembers 17. These drops orscenes 20 maybe ornamented in veryy many dierent fashions. t. .Theleng'th of the bars 21` as shown fis greater than the. width between theupper side members 17 in View of which `,circumstance the drops 20. ca11.readily.be .of a length` greater than the. width of thezopen- As shown the.v base section 3 carriesa switch block or base l.22 providedfwith the switches 23, 24 and 25. 41`rom-the switch 25 the ,flexible cord 26,.extends and isfurnished with ka lamp27 which can be readily Ymoved to the'back of the .Structure `so as to show behind thek rearmostdrop 20 .if :there be several, or Ithe onlydrop ifbut merely one vbei used. This freely movablelamp 27 can be -carried across the back .of {the vstructure so Vas to direct? itsrays forwardly as may bedesired, The switc-h 22 can be manipulated to cause the lamp 27 "to flashl or be extinguished as may be desired bythe user. At the front of V the stagelis an overhangingsheet 28. which may be of-sheet -metal and which may be A.united .to the front 2 vin any desirable manner. -Usually it extends Yfrom vthe lower Vedge oflthe 1opening V8 forwardof which Vare `thet lamps v29 connected as .by vi/tiring.v 30.1130 the middle switch 24 through the: operation. ofwhich these two front lamps may be lightedtor `extinguished.

The top section 5 of the frontsupports as Ashown a shell-31-constituting a suitable nreflector, `the. back fof the `shell {.beingvcircular and-havingends.v The backL of the LA, toy theater. comprising-a trent; :and

reflector .is furnished. ,with inturned llianges 32 adapted for the slidable reception of the screen 384 which :hastransparent [sheets-as 34 generally of-.diifere-ntcolors. t The. edge portions of this screen are.-slidablylfguided by theinturned flanges 32 in View of which fact the screen may be slid back and forth -asmayfbe desired to cause the direction of diierent ,colored lights against the scenes or other objectsv above the stage 16, the reflector or shell 3Q being at an inclination to secure this result.` .This reflectorinthe pres'- Yent/Case is. Sennred in-.Snnle .C9rivnnient,v Inanner- .to .the t0n .Section Qnelnf it-*end Walls, the'. one A0n .the /leftpnjligtl-t; S119- ports .the socket., .of the..lan1p.-3.5-onnncted t0 :the switch andtthrongh .tnenton Of this switch this lamp 35 maybe lighted or extinguished.. The. socket member ntthe lamp 35. extends. thnoughanpenngj 371D The. lamp, therefore, can beeasily. disconnected .from the reectorawhich'. turn presents a convenient 'snp-112.01% .fer the lamp 910 .when it ,is desired t0 .nS .thegla'rnn I have .mentioned the. fast. that. there is. ernennen This screen, nel.JflavY also noted,

is. furnished 1 with one Liners transparent Ysheets as 34.-. These.screenen@snerallynf .95 some translncent-1nnteralfinnnnnattnr nf fact .they :are practically.trannarnt, y: *,They mayY bel of any .sntakzl'..materialasneh fS celluloid,- mica, `or evenglass.

.Whatldannsr Y .100

a back, theA front. t. including Y n. .bane nSettifnl anda Settlnn hinged x.t0-thehas@ nntthavng -Y an, Opening nndtthebnnki having n han@ Self@- tion and asectionhingedthereto,I aistage 1,05.

below the hing@.SYthmfeef,Y side barsconnected .ably supported: .by the; v.Sntnbars and-'rro- ",110

vided respectively.l with ,ai drop; ,or drops.

2. A `Itoy theater :comprising a p front .and

a. back, the lfront ,including k a base, gan'intermediate sectionhinged :to the. has@ and .a

top section connected .,rernovaloly by .pins 1,15 with the intermediate section,thelatterhav- `infr anv @penna-'aa bank nemprsng bane section and an upper fsection-k-hingedt thereto,

.atstage supported betweenthe tn'nfbias@ ,Sec-

tions below the hinges,thereof ,-and. side 120 .bars lminorati1y fnonnected. I.with the; .tvo

swinging sections.

3- .A toytheater winpnsnanrentanda back, .theffnont nclndinela base-antimerrnediate; .Section hing/@dato the :base andi .a v125 top Section Connectedreinnvably rbyapins i with .the intermediate section, theflattenhavins nn Opening, n?, back cnnlnrsngf abris@ section and an-upper Sectionhinged-thereto,

n: Stage: S11PPQntet between l the twoabase 11:30

. ,8.5 its, supporting., Wallet .the reneetpr 0r lshell .3.0' and the Sections' Ofit. clamp. Sadwnllf Sections below the hinges thereof, side bars removably connected with the two swinging sections, a bar removably supported between the side bars and provided with a drop, and a reector supported by the upper section of the front and provided with a lamp to project its rays downwardly and rearwardly.

4. A toy theater comprising a front, a back and a stage, a switch block supported by the front below the stage and comprising three switches, lamps extending from the three switches, one of the lamps being supported by the front above the stage, the

other lamp being supported at the front 15 WILLIAM S. MARTIN.

Witnesses HEATH SUTHERLAND, JOHN BUCKLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

